Autumn is often considered a time of abundance for harvests in the vegetable garden. Crops produced and tended in spring and summer are now in the spotlight and the harvest season can be at its busiest. However, autumn also remains an ideal time to sow a whole series of vegetables .
Fall vegetables to plant can be fast-growing crops, to be harvested during the fall and winter, or vegetables that take a little longer and will be ready the following year. In autumn, the soil is warm enough for seeds to germinate quickly and plants to grow quickly before the onset of cold weather.
sow in October vegetable garden
When I was a professional vegetable grower, I grew vegetables for restaurant chefs throughout the year. There were weekly harvests throughout the fall and winter months, with planting planned well into the fall to ensure we could provide fresh vegetables throughout the winter and early spring. We look at some of the best crops that are ideal for fall planting and help quickly fill a fall vegetable garden with plants that will provide harvests through the colder months and into the following season.
What vegetables can you still plant in autumn?
Broccoli rabe vegetable garden
- Broccoli rabe
Broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, is a fast-growing fall vegetable that produces small broccoli-like heads. All parts of the plant, from the head to the leaves to the stems, are edible. Easy to grow, it is a cool season vegetable that is best sown in spring and fall. You should sow broccoli rabe seeds directly into the vegetable garden at least eight weeks before the first frost for your area. Broccoli rabe varieties can take up to 40 days from sowing to first harvest. - Bok choy
Bok choy is another vegetable that doesn’t like hot weather, and so tends to be sown in the spring and fall. This Asian crop, also known as pak choi or Chinese cabbage, produces edible stems and leaves. Bok choy can be harvested as tender leaves or grown to maturity for use in stir-fries. Sow the seeds directly in fertile soil, to a depth of about 1 cm, using successive sowings to ensure a regular harvest. Bok choy grows quickly, young leaves can be ready in 30 days, while it takes 60 days for adult plants. Sow in early fall for a later harvest. You can get Bok Choy seeds online, they can be ready to harvest in 40-45 days.
Read also: Growing Rhubarb – tips on how to grow rhubarb
- Spinach
Winter hardy varieties can be sown in early fall to provide a harvest of spinach during the colder months. You can grow spinach in the ground, in raised beds, or in vegetable garden containers. Sow the seeds directly into the soil, at a depth of 2 cm, about six weeks before the first frost, in a sunny spot in the garden. Winter cultivars can be harvested between October and April. Consider installing spinach companion plants nearby to protect your crop from pests that will want to nibble on the leaves. - Endives
Endive looks like lettuce, but its leaves, which can be broad or curly, have a more bitter taste. It is a popular crop where the young leaves are harvested barely a month after sowing. It can add additional flavor to mixed salads. Endive seeds can be sown in the fall for a harvest during the winter months.
vegetable garden radish
- Radishes
Radishes are very fast growing vegetables that can be sown in the fall for quick harvests. If you are growing radishes in pots, you can move them under cover when cold weather arrives to extend the summer radish season.
There are also varieties of winter radishes, which grow more slowly and are larger than the usual summer radishes. These radishes are planted in the fall, spaced further apart than summer radishes, and can be ready after 10 weeks. This means you can harvest radishes throughout the winter as these winter radish varieties can be left in the ground to be harvested as needed.